Arch-support



A. RUHL.

I ARCH SUPPORT. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, I918.

Patented Sept. 13,1921

UNITED STATES ANTHONY B'UHL, OF

CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ARCH-SUPPORT.

1,390,817. Specification of Application filed March 22,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTHONY RUHL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Arch-Supports, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an arch support which is adapted to be worn in the shoe of the user.

The object of the invention is to provide an eflicient arch support, but one in which there is some resiliency as the user walks and to provide the resiliency by the use of flexible metal strips which are incased in leather.

Generally speaking, the invention may be said to comprise the elements and the combinations thereof set forth in the accompanying claims.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view with parts removed; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation; Fig. 3 is a transverse section.

In the drawings 1 indicates a base which is of a shape to conform to the part of the shoe in which it is to be placed, to wit, the heel of the shoe and the part which ordinarily is under the arch of the foot of the wearer.

In length the base should be such that the forward end of the base lies just behind the ball of the foot of the wearer. At the for ward end, the base is reduced in thickness by an inclined portion 1, so as to do away with any ridge.

Secured to the base at a portion adjacent to the heel are two superimposed strips of metal indicated at 2 and 3. The strips are secured by rivets or other suitable means. The strips each have a fiat part such as indicated at 2 and a portion 2 which is bent by a adual curve away from the plane of the at portion; at the end each strip is bent up slightly as indicated at 2.

The two strips are similarly formed and in the assembled arch support, they are in substantial contact throughout their length.

Le r P n Patented Sept. 13, 1921.

1918. Serial No. 284,320.

A cover or part 4; which is of the same shape as the base 1, is secured to the base by means of sewing the same together and an adhesive is applied between the forward engaging portions of the base 1 and part 4.

The parts 1 and 4 are made of suitable material which is flexible such as for instance leather and while the parts 1 and 4 may be made of either light or heavy leather, I prefer to use leather of sufficient thickness and firmness so that the leather itself gives some support and when reinforced by the metal strips, the .desired firmness for the support is obtained but yet having a suitable degree of flexibility.

When the parts 1 and 4: are secured together the said parts are somewhat curved to conform to the curve of the metal strips. When the support is in use, the metal strips will be more or less deflected, but inasmuch as the strips are in contact, there will be some friction between the strips as they move and this friction resists defl'ect' n somewhat but does not stop the deflection and by construction I obtain a structure which is as strong as would be a single strip of metal of the same thickness as both the present strips, but I secure the distinct ad vantage that my construction is much more flexible than such a single strip.

Various changes may be made from the details of construction as shown, within the limits of the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is: 7

An arch support comprising two firm but flexible members which are secured together at their edges, two metal strips which overlie each other positioned between the said members, said metal strips being secured to each other and to said members at one end of the strips, the remainder of said strips being unsecured, the said strips lying in contact with each other throughout their extent and both of said strips at the unsecured ends being dished with the dished portions overlying.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

ANTHONY RUHL. 

